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687: Cuthbert's reforms
Excerpts from a history of Angland


By Bede of Jarway


BOOK III



CCuthbert, Archbishop of Lindisfarne, as portrayed in artwork at Eorforwic Abbey

CHAPTER XI: CUTHBERT, ARCHBISHOP OF LINDISFARNE CONFIRMS AND ESTABLISHES THE ORDER OF PRESEDENCE IN THE ANGLISH CHURCH AND ALSO DECLARES OSWINE AND OSWALD ANGLISH SAINTS (687 AD)

In the second year of his term as Archbishop of Lindisfarne Abbey, Cuthbert, who was formerly Bishop of Eorforwic, laid down in writing the fixed order of precedence for the Anglish church, which had until this point be based upon tradition and unspoken law. This humble servant of the church shall outline it as follows as per the notes and rules of the now at time of writing (730AD) Sainted Cuthbert. He divided the church into two great regions, each controlled by an archbishop, with each having multiple bishoprics below them, centred on the great monasteries of the nation. At this point many monasteries already had bishops but Cuthbert laid this out in ink and in history

The senior role is the Archbishop of LINDISFARNE. Head of the Anglish Church and central point of the community of God within the isle in which the Anglish peoples live. Under him is each of the Archbishops, who in turn have their areas split into bishoprics. Each bishop serves as the authority over their region as well as abbot of the specific monastery. He is also Archbishop of Northumbria as far south as former Lindsay and as far north into the Pictish and Scots lands as the Anglish church spreads, which grows ever further even at the writing of this book

Under him are the

Bishop of DUNHOLM, Senior of the Northumbrian realm of Bernicia.

In turn under him are the suffragan Bishops of HEXHAM and MONKWEARMOUTH-JARWAY,

The Bishop of EORFORWIC, Senior Bishop of Northumbrian realm of Deira

Under him are the suffragan Bishops of WHITBY, RIPON and BEVERLEY

The Bishop of LINDUN, Senior Bishop of the Northumbrian realm of Lindsay

The bishop of LICHFIELD, senior bishop of the Kingdom of Mercia

Under him are the suffragan Bishops of HEREFORD, TAMWORIG and REPTON,

Bishop of WITHORN, Archbishop of the Picts (1)

Under him are the Suffragan Bishops of Coldingham and Melrose

Second only to the Holy Isle is the Archbishop of GLASTONBURY, Archbishop of the Kingdom of Wessex, the Kingdoms of Sussex, Kent, Essex and East Anglia and the peoples of Wales who like the peoples of the North, are also still receiving the holy word of the Anglish church

Directly Under him are the Bishops of SULIS, GLECASTER and BUCKFAST

The bishop of REDLASHAM, senior bishop of the Kingdom of the East Angles.

Under him is the suffragan Bishop of ELY

The bishop of CANTERBURY, senior bishop of Kent

Under him is the suffragan Bishop of Rochester

The Bishop of COLCHESTER, senior bishop of Essex

Under him is the suffragan the Bishops of LAUDENWIC

The Bishop of SELSEY, Bishop of Sussex

Under him is the Suffragan Bishop of CISCAESTER (2)




In autumn of that year this order was confirmed and ratified by each bishop mentioned within at the Synod of Lichfield.

At that time, Cuthbert proposed the canonisation of several noted members of the church, the Northumbrian kings Oswald and Oswine and Cuthbert’s predecessor, Eata, formerly of Hexham. This was agreed at the above mentioned Synod of Lichfield and it should be noted that although these three men were later declared saints of the Roman church, Cuthbert made these three men saints without papal approval. This was as a sign that the Anglish church is a force and authority unto itself within the family of god.

  1. Thanks to Alex Richards for this suggestion
  2. OTL Chichester

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